Freedom
by Syaokura Dragon
Summary: Sakura is the strongwilled princess of the Kinomoto Kingdom.Syaoran is the prince of the Li Kingdom. Sakura seeks freedom.Syaoran seeks a bride whose beauty isn’t just skin deep.What happens when they both wind up at the same place?onhiatusuntilIcanwrite
1. Chapter 1

**Freedom**

**Summary: **Sakura is the strong-willed princess of the Kinomoto Kingdom. Syaoran is the prince of the Li Kingdom. Sakura seeks freedom. Syaoran seeks a bride whose beauty isn't just skin deep. What happens when they both wind up at the same place?

**By:** Syaokura Dragon

**A/N:** This is my first fanfic. Please give me any criticism you feel necessary. I'll try to make it better.  
Italics: thoughts 

Chapter One

Sakura sighed as she sat and waited for her mother to lecture her again. This was the third time this week that her mother had caught her sneaking to the stables and she was furious. As her mother started her lecture, Sakura sighed again and tuned her out. This was about the millionth time she had heard it and could recite it from memory.

"Mother, why can't I ride? I'm seventeen for goodness sake! I should be able to decide on what I can and can't do," she said, breaking out of her daydream of the trail she had been planning on taking that day.

"It is not suitable for a lady to ride astride, let alone a princess," her mother countered.

"What if I don't want to be a princess? What if I want to be a normal girl, not a lady or a noblewoman, just a girl who could do anything she wanted to with her life?! I want to be free! No more stupid rules or protocols. Princesses don't get to do anything! All we do is sit in a room and sew and drink tea. I hate tea! We don't get to give opinions at meetings that concern us all, we don't get to ride astride, we have to ride sidesaddle on the oldest horses and in _dresses, and_ we can't have more than three seconds alone without some servant asking what they can do for 'Her Royal Highness'! I'm sick of it!" Sakura was standing up and yelling when she was finished. Slowly, she sat down, breathing as if she had just run a mile. As if on cue, there was a knock on the door and a young girl poked her head inside the sitting room they were in.

"Excuse me, but I heard yelling. Is there anything I can do?"

Sakura's mother shooed her out of the room. "No, we're just fine. It's nothing to be worried about."

When she returned to her daughter, she knelt in front of her and took her hand and held it.

"I know how you feel," she started softly. "I went through the same phase at your age. I was the more independent of my sister and I. Sonomi was always the one that got he praise for her embroidery and sewing and all I got was a 'Keep working at it, you'll get better'. I was always sneaking out , and I was always caught within ten minutes." She laughed at this part, and then sighed with a dreamy look on her face. "I continued to disobey my parents until the day I met Fujitaka, your father. We fell so deeply in love that I gave myself to him fully. I went wherever and whatever he asked without asking any questions, but I never left his side for more than a day. You will feel the same way when you find your true love," she explained gently, but confidently.

"What if I don't ever find my true love," Sakura cried. "Do I really have marry a nobleman? They are so conceited!"

The older woman chuckled, and then said, "You may marry whomever you wish. If a mere farmer makes you happy, then I will give the finest wedding this kingdom has seen in a century."

"How will I know if I love a farmer when I haven't ever been outside the palace grounds," the auburn-haired teen asked, deflated.

Her mother sat beside her and brushed the hair that fallen into her daughter's face behind her ears. Gently she told her daughter, "I'll talk to your father about this. Maybe the two of us can take a trip together."

A hopeful Sakura asked, "Do you think he would let me go by myself?" Quickly she added, "You know I would love to have you with me, but I think this is something I need to do on my own."

A knock at the door interrupted the pair's conversation. A servant stuck his head in.

"Yes?"

"Sorry for interrupting your majesty, your highness," the balding man said, bowing first to the queen, then to the princess, "but King Fujitaka has requested that both Queen Nadeshiko and Princess Sakura join him and Prince Toya for the midday meal."

Nadeshiko nodded at the man who had so loyally served the royal family for going on half a century. "Thank you , we'll be down momentarily."

left and closed the behind him. Nadeshiko stood and helped her only daughter to her feet. "We should head down now. Your father and Toya are waiting. I'll talk to your father after dinner, so don't bring the subject up," she warned.

Sakura nodded and followed her mother down to a meal of rice and dumplings.

"Syaoran!" Yelan Li was marching through the palace looking for her son. He had skipped lessons again and was trying to avoid the meeting she had set up between him and a nice young woman of noble birth.

_Really, he is eighteen already. He needs to stop hiding like a five-year old running from a bath. He needs to marry soon!_

She headed towards the garden in the west wing. That had always been his favorite hiding place when he was young. He would hide there whenever the cook saw him trying to sneak a sweet or whenever his four older sisters started chasing after him saying how kawaii he was.

When she strode through the arch leading to the garden, a boy with messy chocolate hair jumped out of a tree. Yelan sighed.

"Syaoran, how many times do I have to tell you? Do not skip lessons! You're going to need them when you become King."

"Mother, those old bags that call themselves tutors couldn't teach me how to hold a fork, let alone a country! They are useless and they put me to sleep. I had an idea. I asked myself, if I have to sleep, why not somewhere that isn't as stuffy as the classroom? Why sleep there when I could sleep in my favorite garden? So I skipped out and got an hour's worth of sleep in," he said smugly.

"And what is wrong with Lady Yuhi? Why must you ignore the fact that I arranged a meeting between the two of you?!" Yelan was getting mad.

"Why should I spend an hour's time listening to some whack job talk about the weather and how she looks and the next party coming up. The list goes on! Where are the girls that actually care about something other than themselves and act upon that care? Are there any," he asked, flailing his arms around.

"Syaoran, you are turning twenty-one in less than three years," Yelan started, exasperated. "You must be married by that time!"

"What about my question? I want an answer! Are there? Are there any noblewomen like that or are they all peasants? Because if a farmer's daughter is the only one that is like that, then that is the woman that I will marry," Syaoran argued.

Yelan looked thoughtful for a moment. Then a triumphant look plastered itself on her face. "I have an idea."

Syaoran suddenly perked up. "What? What?"

Yelan gave her son a smirk. "You'll just have to wait until tomorrow."

"Fine," Syaoran sighed, "but I want to know first thing in the morning."

"Impatience will get you nowhere in life," his mother warned. "Now go practice your patience with Lady Yuhi."

Syaoran sighed. "Yes mother."


	2. Chapter 2

**Freedom**

**By:** Syaokura Dragon

**A/N:** Here's another chapter.

Chapter Two

Sakura Kinomoto was seventeen. She was about 5'9" and had auburn hair that reached her waist that shone like autumn leaves in the sun. Sakura had moderate curves and the brightest emerald eyes anyone had ever seen. They surpassed even her mother's. She had the type of personality that seemed to attract people. Even though she had never been outside the palace walls, everyone in the kingdom loved her. Yes, she was the princess of the Kinomoto Kingdom.

At the midday meal the previous day, her father had announced that his sister-in-law, Sonomi, would be visiting for two days, along with her daughter.

Sakura was ecstatic. Her cousin and best friend, Tomoyo, was coming to visit! She could tell her about what she was going to do.

Earlier that morning, her mother had told her that she had a friend that was married to a farmer. The two of them had no children and would love for her to come live with them for a while. They would unofficially adopt her as their daughter. The best thing was that they lived near the Kinomoto/Li border, so no one would know who she was.

As Sakura walked out side, she was suddenly knocked to the ground.

"Sakura!" Her cousin, Tomoyo Daidouji, had just tackled her. "You have gotten even more kawaii than you were last time I saw you! How have you been?"

Tomoyo was the same age as her cousin, but she was only 5'7". She had flowing raven hair that had a purplish tint to it and reached past her waist. Her eyes were the most alluring shade of amethyst. She had a passion for making clothes and took every chance to make outfits for her favorite cousin.

Sakura laughed as Tomoyo helped her up.

"I've been good. If you consider getting caught going to the stables a million times 'good,'" she said. "I have something to tell you later," she added.

As the welcome party dispersed, the two girls headed for Sakura's room. Tomoyo carried on about the new outfits she had brought for Sakura and how she wanted her to try them on.

About three minutes later they arrived at Sakura's door. They opened the door and entered.

The bedroom they entered was pink. The walls were painted a light pink and there was a mural of a sakura tree in full bloom above Sakura's pink-sheeted bed. There was a pair of white doors that led to a balcony that overlooked a garden that had almost a dozen sakura trees in it. In one corner of the room, there was a desk with a supply of candles, paper, and writing utensils. There was a pink door that led to the bathroom. A white door beside it opened to Sakura's walk-in closet. That was the door they chose.

They walked in and Tomoyo exclaimed, "You still have this! Wow! How old were we when I made this? It was so long ago!"

She was looking at a small white sundress that had a matching hat beside it.

"We were six," Sakura said. "Besides," she added, "Why would I get rid of the first outfit you made me? I got it out just for you."

"You are so sweet," Tomoyo said, as she engulfed Sakura in another bear hug.

"Now come on! You have to model the clothes I brought!"

Tomoyo dragged her cousin into the main room where the servants had already brought up all her luggage. (She would be staying in Sakura's room.)

For the next three and a half hours, the two teens forgot about everything else as Sakura modeled and Tomoyo sketched her favorite poses. (**A/N:** They don't have any modern technology, so she sketches instead of filming.)

After lunch, Sakura led the way to the garden her balcony overlooks. She loved it there because, when they were young, the two girls would only tell their secrets and good news here. They had continued through the years with that tradition. Today, both of them had wonderful news.

They made their way over to their favorite tree beside the small pond to one side. As they sat, Tomoyo suddenly blurted, "I'm getting married!"

Sakura looked at her, dumbfounded.

"I could have sworn you just said you getting married," she said finally, blinking. "Please tell me that's not what I heard."

Tomoyo pouted. "But it is. I know we promised to wait for each other, but he proposed last week and I couldn't tell him no because I promised to get married on the same day as my cousin who has never been formally courted! Of course I said yes!" Softly, she added, "Are you mad at me?"

Sakura pretended to be shocked. "How could you say such a thing?! Of course I'm not mad," she said. Slyly, she added, "As long as I'm Maid of Honor."

Relieved, Tomoyo laughed. "Who else would I have do it? Do you really think I would trust anyone else?"

"I was just checking," Sakura said. "So? Who's the lucky guy and have you set a date yet?"

"His name is Eriol Hiirigizawa. He is the sweetest, most romantic guy ever. And no, we haven't picked a specific day, but we're thinking sometime next spring," Tomoyo said.

The two teens looked at each other, and then simultaneously jumped up and started squealing.

A cough at the door silenced them. Toya Kinomoto was standing there with an amused look. He filled the garden entrance with his frame of 6'3".

"Can I ever walk by here without having my eardrums busted, kaijuu?" he asked his sister.

Sakura looked at him indignantly, stalked up to him, and stomped, hard, on his foot.

"Sakura no kaijuu! Besides, if you don't want to hear us, stay away when Moyo is here," she told her big brother.

The tall, dark-haired man in his twenties replied, "Then how would I know your secrets?"

Sakura and Tomoyo shared an evil glance before chasing Toya around the castle four times.

After her brother had fled to his room, the two skipped back to the garden.

"So," Tomoyo asked, breathing hard and laughing. "What's your news?"

Sakura beamed at her.

"Mother and Father are allowing me to live with a friend for a while. One of their friends, I mean. On a farm."

"What!? Why?" It was Tomoyo's turn to look shocked.

"Well," Sakura replied, "the other day, Mother stated that I may marry whomever I wish." She then proceeded to tell the other girl about the conversation the previous day.

"And now, I will be Sakura Watsuki, daughter of Masahi and Yuki Watsuki. I will get to live and work as a farmer. The best thing is that they have horses!"

Sakura looked at her curious cousin with stars in her eyes. "Think if how much I can ride now…."

Suddenly, it was her raven-haired cousin who had stars in her eyes. Sakura backed away warily. "Tomoyo," she said nervously. "Calm down. Please calm down."

Tomoyo started squealing, saying how she was going to make Sakura the best work clothes ever.

"Oh, Sakura! You're going to be so kawaii that all the boys will be drooling over you. I'm going to make you clothes that are workable and super kawaii," she announced, engulfing Sakura in yet another bear hug.

"Tomoyo……can't……losing breath……" Sakura gasped.

"Oops. Hehe, sorry Saku," Tomoyo said while patting her cousin's back. "I just got a little carried excited."

"A little," Sakura asked disbelievingly.

Tomoyo stuck her tongue out childishly. Then she picked up and threw it at Sakura.

The two enjoyed a pillow fight, dinner, and then another pillow fight before going to sleep that night.

**A/N: **So? How was it? Was it better, worse? Please review and tell me what needs worked on!


	3. Chapter 3

**Freedom**

**By: **Syaokura Dragon

**A/N:** Here's another chapter

Chapter Three

Syaoran Li, crown prince of the Li Kingdom was getting impatient. Again. This was the third morning without a word from his mother on her "idea".

He was pacing in the dining room while he waited for the master schemer herself to present herself for breakfast.

Yelan Li was a slim, petite woman. She had midnight black tresses that fell to the middle of her back. And she had deep blue eyes. Yet, it was her stance and aura that commanded respect from everyone. Well, almost everyone.

"Finally." Syaoran told her as she glided into the room. "So?"

"So, what?" Yelan sat and gestured for him to sit also. His sisters were still asleep. "Do you have an answer?" Syaoran was preparing himself for another no, but started when Yelan said, "Yes."

"What," he asked, checking to see if his ears were deceiving him.

Yelan repeated herself. "Yes."

Excitedly, Syaoran asked, "And? Are you going to tell me what you planned?"

"Yes."

Syaoran gestured for her to continue. "I'm waiting."

As Yelan reached for eggs, she said, "You are going to work on a farm."

"What?" Syaoran had his fork halfway to his mouth.

Yelan repeated herself, slowly this time. "You…are going…to work… on a…farm."

"I heard that, I was just surprised," he said, trying to piece together his dignity and stuff his face at the same time.

"When do I leave and where is it," the eighteen-year old asked.

"Well," his mother began. "I asked around and there is a farm near the border that is looking for help. Right now, it is being run by the farmer, his wife, and their daughter who just finished school."

"That doesn't sound too bad. When do I leave?"

What Syaoran was really thinking was, _Yes! I get to get away from here finally! No more lessons, no more sisters pinching my cheeks. Plus, they have a daughter. Maybe she will be the type of girl I'm looking for._

He was even doing a happy dance in his head.

Little did he know, Yelan had different thoughts on the matter.

_He won't even know I'll be watching him. Yay! I get to mess with his head! This is going to be fun._

"In two days."

**A/N:** Sorry it's so short. I needed to put it in though. Hopefully next chapter will be longer. By the way, does anyone know what Syaoran's sisters' names are? I don't remember. Please review!


	4. Chapter 4

**Freedom**

**By:** Syaokura Dragon

**A/N:** Thank you all for reviewing. Special thanks go to AdaZu and Marine Brother Shran for helping me with Syaoran's sisters' names: )

_Italics: thoughts_

Chapter Four

Sakura sighed happily as she looked through her bags again. Her mother insisted on making sure she had everything.

_Let's see. I've got four nice work dresses, thank you Tomoyo. I have three skirts and ten blouses. Thanks again Tomoyo._

She carried on checking things off in her head, adding a "thanks Tomoyo", after every article of clothing. Tomoyo had even made her two pairs of breeches, much to her father and brother's dismay.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

As Sakura skipped down the stairs, a voice called out.

"Don't trip, kaijuu!"

Sakura flew down the rest of the stairs and gave her brother the biggest hug she had ever given him, letting the kaijuu remark slide by just this once.

"I'm going to miss you," Sakura said into his shirt. Then, she looked up with a sly grin. "Now you and Ruby can have some privacy," she said, referring to her brother's wife of two years, who was currently at her parents' house, visiting.

Toya looked embarrassed for a moment, then hid it by bopping his baby sister on the head and saying," If you need any help with keeping those idiots called boys away from you, I'll come running. But I can't spend too much time saving your life, you know."

Sakura stuck her tongue out at him as she let go of him and moved to her father.

Fujitaka embraced his daughter saying, "You know who to come to if you need any help my Cherry Blossom."

Sakura smiled at the gentle man with tears in her eyes. She nodded and buried her head back into his chest, inhaling his comforting scent one last time before breaking away to say goodbye to her mother.

Nadeshiko was crying lightly as she grasped her only daughter by the shoulders. She examined Sakura's face for a moment, then she pulled her into a bone-crushing hug that one wouldn't expect from such a fragile looking woman.

She held her for a moment longer and then released her, taking a deep breath before asking, "Do you have everything?"

Receiving a nod, she continued. "Well, let's get it loaded. You'll be riding Spinel."

Before her daughter interrupted she said, "My little girl is growing up and deserves a real horse. Consider Spinel as a sort of 'freedom present,' per say."

Sakura was too overwhelmed to speak. Her mother was giving her the most spirited horse in the stable, not to mention her favorite, because she thought she was grown up enough to handle her.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

It wasn't long at all before she was finally ready to depart. Her mother stood beside her and said, "You will leave through the back of the grounds so no one will see you leave, then travel east until you reach a town called Osaka. There you will find an inn called 'The Cock's Crow.' I put some money in your bags so you'll be able to pay. Don't spend it all in one place because it will take almost three days to get there, riding hard," she warned.

"Yes mother," came the reply from the emerald-eyed teen sitting astride the saddle of the magnificent Morgan. She had changed into one of the pairs of breeches her cousin had made her. She had a loose shirt that didn't reveal her gender. To finish the disguise, she had tucked her hair into a hat that hung lopsided on her head.

She planned to travel as a boy until she reached her destination. Her brother had warned her of the dangers a young girl traveling alone could encounter.

The auburn-haired teenager blew one last kiss towards her family, set her shoulders, and urged Spinel forward.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Syaoran, where are you?"

"I'm in my room, Mother," Syaoran called out from beside his green clad king-sized bed, where he was packing.

His mother entered and threw her slender arms up into the space above her head. She hurried to her son's side just as he finished stuffing the last article of underclothing he was taking with him into his moderately small bag, albeit rather unceremoniously.

"Really, you should let the maids pack your belongings. Kami-sama knows it would be a great deal neater and you might actually be able to find something in that bag. And why do you insist on only taking your oldest clothes and items relating to personal hygiene? Are you trying to live and look like a pauper?" she exclaimed as she started unloading her son's bag.

As she started folding his clothes, he replied, rather sarcastically, "Of course, mother. I am going to dress the part of a prince whilst trying to live under the impression that I am merely a farmer boy looking for work. Now why _ever_ did I not think of that," he asked rhetorically and pretended to pout. "I wanted to think of that first. No fair!"

Yelan looked at her only son who was currently pretending to cry and rolled her eyes.

"Syaoran, darling, I'm just wondering why you won't let our seamstress make you suitable clothing for your stay on the farm. And why won't you take any money with you," she asked as she finished folding his clothes and proceeded to stack them into his bag. The result was much neater than the previous mess had been.

Exasperated and trying to hurry before his sisters attacked him, the young prince replied while keeping an ear out for his four older siblings, "Mother, I told you. I am taking money. I'm just not taking a five pound bag full of it. I appreciate the thought, but nowadays it's not a good idea to travel with a lot of excess gold. There have been reports of several robberies along the travel roads recently. It's better to take less and not attract much attention to myself in the case that trouble would befall me." Glancing at his mother's distraught expression, he quickly added, "Not that they would get the best of me in any situation, of course mother. I am quite proud of my combat skills."

At this point, he puffed out his chest importantly and strutted around the room like a tin soldier. Watching her son's childish antics, Yelan couldn't help but to dissolve into a fit of giggles.

Suddenly, Syaoran stood stock still with his ear cocked towards the open door. A look of horror flashed over his face as he leapt for the opening in an effort to close it in the face of the coming onslaught of his worst nightmares.

His sisters were coming.

**A/N:** Thanks for waiting. I got a really bad case of writer's block over spring break.: ( Not what you would expect, right? Oh well. At least it's up. Review! ; )


	5. Chapter 5

**Freedom**

**By:** Syaokura Dragon

**A/N: **It has come to my attention that I have not put in a disclaimer. I apologize. Here you go.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Card Captor Sakura. Clamp does. I just like twisting it to my every whim and desire. lol

Italics: Thoughts Chapter Five 

Sakura looked around in awe. The sights. The smells. The colors. Sure, she had seen _many_ different colors at Court before, but never so bright and vibrant. Many of the Ladies at Court preferred pastels or dark colors. It was rare to see anyone wearing overly bright clothing, though now that she had seen the multi-colored scene before her, Sakura wondered why. Everything was so exciting!

She saw men at their stands, broadcasting what it was they were selling by yelling it out and offering it to any passerby. She saw bakers and produce vendors lining one street. As she turned right she saw men offering swords and daggers and bows on one side and on the other were the jewelry makers and potters.

Running amongst the stands were children. Between two jewelry stands she saw two girls that looked about six. One was dressed in breeches and the other in a skirt. Both had crowns made of twigs on their heads. The two looked like they were fighting. Sakura edged closer to hear what the two were saying.

"No! The Princess is a real lady! She don't do that," the little one in the skirt argued.

The girl in breeches shot back, "Yes she does! One day I'll prove it."

Sakura walked up to them and squatted in front of them both. "I hear you are having an argument about the princess. What are your names? I might be able to settle it," she asked the two (now shy) youngsters in front of her.

The girl in the skirt nudged the other. The little girl pouted and then reluctantly said, "If you're telling the truth, then my name is Kira." Then she nudged the other girl back.

"And I'm her twin sissy Kisa."

Sakura smiled encouragingly at the two. "Now, what were you two saying Princess Sakura does and doesn't do?"

Kisa looked at Kira and burst out, "The princess is a lady. She doesn't roll around in the dirt and ride horsies. I like horsies," she added looking at the ground. Her head shot back up. "She likes horsies very much and never rides like a boy!"

Sakura chuckled and looked at the quieter of the sisters. "And you, Kira? What do you think she does?"

Kira looked at her cautiously before replying. "I think she likes horsies too. But she doesn't ride like no lady. They say she rides like a boy. I like that. I think she is really pretty and doesn't like big puffy dresses. I know I don't."

Kisa looked at her sister and started arguing again. "They aren't stupid dresses. They're pretty!"

Before her counterpart could get a word in, Sakura intervened.

"Well, you're both right."

The two siblings looked at her, momentarily silenced. "Huh?" they asked in unison.

"That's right. Princess Sakura is a lady and likes horsies. But she thinks that riding like a lady is boring. She rides like a boy every chance she gets. She doesn't like the big puffy dresses, but she likes really pretty un-puffy dresses," she explained to the two who stood there with their mouths open.

_I just hope that they know what un-puffy is, _she thought.

Kisa looked at the older girl in front of her and said slowly, "So, we're both right?"

"Yes."

The twins looked at each other and started squealing and jumping up and down and hugging the other.

"Yay!" they chorused.

They both turned to Sakura and bowed.

"Thank you, onee-san," they chorused again. They looked at each other giggled and bowed to the teen once more before running off. "Bye-bye, onee-san," they called.

Sakura sighed as she watched the two girls run off.

_I can't believe I told them that. They might tell someone and then Mother and Father would probably come at full gallop to collect and protect me from some nonexistent danger._ She paused her train of thought and shook her head. _What am I thinking? Nobody would take two five-year olds seriously. Even if they are the cutest ones I have ever seen,_ she added as an afterthought. _I think I'm going paranoid because I've never been "outside" before. Ok, Sakura, just breathe. Breathe. I've got a ways to go to get to Osaka. This is after all, only Tokyo, the capital city around the palace._

She stood up and headed down the street again, leading Spinel. As she was about to turn down another street (for she feared she was lost), a man, a blacksmith by the look of him, laid a hand on her arm, stopping her. He was about an inch taller than her, standing at about 5' 10". His eyes were as black as the scorch marks on his heavy leather apron. He sported short, light brown hair. In a way Sakura found him handsome, but the crooked nose told her they could only ever be friends. She didn't like blacksmiths anyway. The palace blacksmith was always grumpy and never hesitated to threaten to poke her with his tongs whenever she got under foot, looking and admiring the weapons he made. Not that she would ever tell him.

"Excuse me, lad," the man said over the hustle and bustle around them. "That's a mighty fine horse you have there. Is he shod?"

Sakura looked at him surprised. After a moment she realized that **she** was the 'lad' he was talking to.

"Um. I-I don't really know," she stammered. She looked around for an escape. The man, she guessed him to be in his early twenties, smiled kindly at her.

"Well, then let's take a look. You don't look like you're from around here, so you wouldn't know what the streets are like in some parts."

He led her down a side street to the left that she hadn't noticed before. He opened a door that was wide enough for two horses to walk through, side by side.

"We don't usually open this door," he said when it squeaked and groaned. "We usually go to the client's house, but seeing as you're not from around here, that could be a problem," he said.

Sakura started to wonder who he meant by "we". Had he seen through her disguise? Did he know? Her heart raced as she checked to see if her hat had fallen off or been knocked askew. What was going to happen to her?

"Sasuke!"

Sakura jumped. She sighed in relief when she saw a woman stride out of a back room. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all.

The woman stopped in front of the man, presumably Sasuke, who stood beside Spinel. She had her hands on her slim hips. Her face looked absolutely murderous. Maybe it was going to be bad after all.

"Where have you been," she cried. "I've been stuck here making nails for Dad all day, while you've been gallivanting around town looking at pretty girls no doubt!"

Suddenly she took notice of the petite Sakura trying to blend in with her horse. The brunette instantly looked ashamed.

"I'm sorry," she said bowing to Sakura. "I should not have greeted you with a lecture directed to my brother. But in my defense, he," she jerked her thumb at the other brunette, "was being an idiot again."

Sakura giggled. She stepped away from her Morgan, whose reins were taken by Sasuke. She started to curtsy as she would have when she greeted another lady at Court, caught herself, (remembering she wore breeches and that she wasn't at Court) and bowed back.

"That's ok. I understand. I have a brother too," she said while still giggling.

The stranger looked at her oddly, tilting her head to the side.

"Oh," Sakura said. She took off her floppy hat and as her hair tumbled down her back, finally free of its prison, she bowed again. "I'm Sakura Kin-," she hesitated before saying with more force, "Watsuki. Sakura Watsuki. You see, I'm traveling back home. I just finished the year at the finishing school at the palace. I'm going home for the summer. I'm traveling home as a boy to rouse less suspicion. I'm so sorry for any confusion."

The woman looked startled, then grinned broadly. She bowed and introduced herself as Chiharu Mihara. She nodded towards her brother. "You've met Sasuke here."

Sasuke grinned impishly at his sister and turned to Sakura and bowed.

"Nice to meet you. Sorry for calling you a lad. Though, if you think about it, it's a good thing. Did you know, that in ancient times, disguises were used to express victories in battle? Yes, and when the army was victorious, the commander of the force would disguise himself as the enemy and- OW!! YOU CRAZY WOMAN!! LET GO OF MY EAR!!," he cried.

Chiharu had grabbed her brother's ear and had pulled on it until he was bent over double and whimpering in pain. She let go and Sasuke stood up cupping his hands around his red ear.

"I swear," his sister exclaimed, "you are getting more and more like Takeshi every single blasted day."

He looked at her with puppy dog eyes. "But sis," he whined, "you like it when Takeshi does it, don't you?"

Chiharu looked at him sternly. "No, but I must put up with it because he is your best friend." She looked thoughtful, then said, "Wait, I take that back. It's because he's my boyfriend." She looked smug as her brother's jaw hit the floor. "Now, if you will get your act together, we have a customer."

Sakura had been watching the whole conversation with an amused expression on her face, remembering arguments (not quite like this, but close enough) she and Toya had shared. She started when Chiharu spoke to her.

"So, Sakura. What are you here for?" Chiharu was almost two inches shorter than her brother. She looked delicate, fragile almost, as she stepped forward to take Spinel's reins from her. She had shoulder length hair that was pulled back in a loose ponytail of the same shade of brown as her brother's. It was her sky blue eyes that drew you into thinking that she was fragile, but once Sakura saw how she handled her horse, she knew that Chiharu was anything but.

"Um, well," Sakura started. Seeing her new friend smiling at her gave her confidence. Sort of. "You see, IwassoexcitedtogethomethatIforgottomakesurethatSpinel,he'smyhorsebytheway, wasproperlyshod. SasukesaidthatIdidn'tlooklikeIwasfromaroundhere,soheofferedtocheckforme," she explained, all in one long breath.

"Whoa," Chiharu laughed, "Slow down there girl. We aren't going to hurt you if you say it so we can understand you. So, please."

Sakura took a deep breath and repeated herself, slower this time. "I was so excited to get home that I forgot to make sure that Spinel, my horse, was properly shod. Sasuke said that I didn't look like I was from around here, so he offered to check for me."

Chiharu looked at her brother accusingly. "Sasuke, did you bring her in here because she was a pretty lad?" she asked with a twinkle in her eyes.

Sasuke looked at her, aghast. "Why, my own sister," he cried. "Why would you think that? I knew not that the fair one yonder was even amongst us until I saw her magnificent steed! I would not dream of touching such a fine beast without the permission of his owner." He turned to Sakura. "May I," he asked.

Sakura was bent over laughing at his reaction to his sister's question. She stood wiping tears from her eyes. "Yes," she managed to get out.

"Thank you my lady," Sasuke said with an elaborate bow in her direction. "You honor me so. I shall think of you of you as the princess of all the kingdom from now on."

Sakura stopped laughing. She took a step backward then changed directions and took Spinel's lead from Chiharu. "I-I have t-to be going now," she stammered. She bowed to both of them before walking briskly to the door.

"Wait!"

She turned to see the brother with his hand outstretched.

"What did I do," he asked her. "Did I say something wrong?" He walked to her and put two fingers under her chin. He raised them, forcing the frightened teen to shift her gaze from the floor to his face. He peered into her eyes for a moment. Suddenly he pulled away, took two steps back, and knelt to her, hanging his head. "I'm sorry your Highness."

Chiharu looked between her brother and Sakura, who looked like she was about to cry. "What," she asked. When he didn't answer, she asked again. "What are you talking about Sasuke?"

Sasuke stayed fix in his position and wouldn't answer. Sakura ran over to him crying freely now.

"No. No. No," she kept repeating. "Please don't do this," she begged.

The stunned brunette standing by the wall slowly sank to her knees. Sakura saw this and raced over. She tried unsuccessfully to lift the other girl to her feet.

"No," she cried. "Don't do this!" She straightened and dried her eyes, though she still sniffled. She moved so that she stood in front and between both of the Miharas. "Look at me," she ordered, her royal bloodline breaking through to the surface.

Slowly, the siblings lifted their heads to face her. Sakura softened at their frightened faces.

"Look," she started softly, "I'm going to go live on a farm. I'm tired of Court and need a break. I'm travelling as a boy because of danger and so that no one knows it's me. I am glad to have met you. You two are so nice and I wish I could stay and get to know you better. As it is, I've spent too much time here already. I'm expected within a week. All I ask is that you tell no one I was here."

"Your Highness-," Chiharu started.

Sakura cut her off. "Don't "Your Highness" me. You two are my first friends outside the palace. To you two it's Sakura. Nothing more. Now get up," she told them. She helped Chiharu up first, succeeding this time, then Sasuke. She smiled at them both and hugged them tight when they smiled back. She put a hand on both of their shoulders and held them at arm's length. "Now, I must go quickly. Please check on Spinel and let me pay you so that I may be on my way."

When the two tried to protest to the payment Sakura told them, "You will take this and use it well." She handed them each a gold piece. They stared at the coins in their hands with disbelief on their faces.

"Now, please look to Spinel."

Sakura spent the next hour watching the two work in fascination. What she didn't see was that the two siblings took every chance to put their heads together and talk furiously back and forth.

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Syaoran looked around the room for something to block the door with and settled with his own body. He threw his weight onto it in hopes of closing it. Four pairs of hands stopped the door's descent to the frame. Even all the years of training and work could not stop his overly energized sisters when they were just that.

"Syaoran!"

The four girls swarmed him and started squealing. Each was trying to hug him or pat his untamable hair down or a number of other imaginable things.

"Stop shoving, Fuutie," cried one girl, her shoulder length curly hair bouncing with every step she took to avoid her younger sister.

"But, he's so kawaii! Doesn't it just make you want to hug him, Sheifa? It makes me want to," replied Fuutie. She succeeded in making her brother's hair lay flat for a split- second. The next second it was everywhere again as a younger brunette threw herself onto Syaoran's back. He stumbled forward and barely stayed standing from the sudden addition of weight.

"Feimei," he groaned, "I wish you would stop doing that. You're getting too heavy!"

His youngest older sister looked around his shoulder at him her long straight hair falling to the side and her short bangs adding a childish look to her twenty-two year old face. She asked, "Are you calling me fat?" She looked ready to cry.

Syaoran started. "No! Why would I say that? Don't cry, please. You know I hate it when you cry," he said as he set her gently down onto his bed. His other sisters crowded behind him, making faces and mouthing "kawaii" to each other while watching Feimei get their brother's full attention, something that rarely happened with the older girls. Feimei had always been Syaoran's favorite. Syaoran turned and knelt in front of Feimei.

"What I am trying to say is that as I get older," he paused and scrunched up his nose. "Well, let's just say that I'm turning into an old man."

This brought a giggle from the girl on the bed.

"Now," Syaoran continued, "what if I bring something back for you? Would you forgive me?"

"Only if it's a sister-in-law for us all," came a matter-of-fact answer from behind him.

"Fanran," he groaned.

"Look! He's blushing," cried the said sister.

Simultaneously they all crowded around him again squealing "Kawaii!", the problem at hand forgotten.

Finally Yelan resigned herself and came to her son's rescue. She had been having so much fun watching the girls fight over him like a favorite doll. She clapped her hands twice and the four unruly princesses quieted down still exclaiming that their brother was kawaii under their breath.

"Come along you four. Let the servants retrieve Syaoran's bags and prepare yourselves for your formal and _final_ farewells." She turned to Syaoran and said, "Well, I'll let you direct the servants."

Syaoran looked from her to the _one_ bag he was holding. He rolled his eyes as a servant took it from him and followed his mother to the rear garden, his departure location and possibly final resting place if his sisters stampeded him again. How he had survived eighteen years of their torture, he wasn't sure. But one thing _was_ for sure. He wasn't going to miss it.

Five minutes later found him in the garden leading to the small gate in the South wall where Syaoran would exit. He looked anxiously between his mother and father. His father, Xao Xing, turned to him as his sisters arrived.

"Son," he rested a hand on Syaoran's shoulder, "may you find your heart's desire in another. Our love and support travel with you wherever you roam. Be safe."

The tall muscular king stepped back and allowed his wife to hug her son. After multiple hugs she stepped back also. Syaoran sighed and rolled his eyes. He opened his arms to his sisters. They came at him sobbing. He hugged each one in turn, receiving a wet shirt, and assuring them all that he would be back to visit in September for his birthday. Most probably his only visit in the next year because he didn't expect to find a wife so soon. He said his final good byes as a stableboy led his saddled horse, Ceroberous, to him. He mounted and rode out the gate, sitting tall and not looking back. He was ready to start his new life as Syaoran Takahashi.

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Special thanks go to Adelaide MacGregor for pointing out that it was confusing. I fixed it! thank you.

Review!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

By: Syaokura Dragon

**A/N: I am soooooo sorry that I took this long to update! School has been, well, let's just say fun shall we? Plus band takes up a lot of my time. I'm going to try to update more often now that I've settled into a routine of sorts.**

Why did he have to do this again?

Syaoran readjusted the black shoulder-length wig he had on. This must have been the twentieth time in the last five minutes that he had tried to fix it. Why was it so itchy?

'You told your mother you would wear it, remember,' a voice in his head said. 'You do remember what happened the last time you came out without a disguise on don't you?' The voice was mocking him.

Oh yeah. He remembered. It had been a disaster. One of the merchants mistook him as the man who had skipped out of his daughter's wedding with her best friend. That hadn't been pretty. The man had chased him down the streets with one of the meat cleavers he had been selling to a butcher when Syaoran had stopped to ask for directions to the nearest inn. Not pretty at all.

He grimaced and pulled himself from memories that still haunted him whenever he stepped into a kitchen. The teen sighed and attempted to ease the discomfort the wig caused. Needless to say, he failed miserably. He sighed once more before leaving the woods at the edge of the town he was going to stay at that night. The people he walked past were the wealthier citizens of Shanghai. They were merchants and the owners of large estates. Several people started when they saw him, a seeming pauper in their wealthy area, but by the time they thought to take another look, he and his horse had disappeared around a corner or into the crowd.

Syaoran looked at Ceroberus and winced. He hated doing this to him. Before donning his wig, the amber-eyed male had rubbed dirt into Ceroberus's coat. He had also taken twigs and more dirt and tangled up his mane and tail. All the while the prince had promised his horse treats aplenty as soon as they got to their destination. He had transformed his steed from a magnificent stallion to a plain, insignificant, dumb horse that could have passed as any number of country farms' property.

Looking around, Syaoran noticed that they didn't really fit in with the people surrounding them. He hurried to the side of town that wasn't as prosperous as the other and if anybody thought to look at him on his way there, he was gone before they did. He would chance a night in the slums of the city if it meant there was no chance of recognition from the other occupants of the inn where he would be staying.

He recoiled as the stench of a nearby wine house assaulted his nose. He covered the bottom half of his face with his arm in an attempt to filter the smell through the fabric of his sleeve. As he passed, one of the flute girls that was taking a break by the door noticed. She stepped into the street and started dancing in an attempt to allure him. He shook his head at her. He was in no mood for spirits or a girl that someone else had rented before him. That thought had always repulsed him. But, if that was what they had chosen to do with their life, it wasn't his business. The girl pouted before trying to seduce him once more. Again he shook his head and this time he started forward from the spot where he had stopped when she had emerged from the wine house. This time she tried to pout in a last attempt to get to him.

"I'm not in the mood. I have urgent business to attend to. Kindly clear my path. I would not enjoy the sight of my horse being frightened by your jewelry flashing and trampling you in an attempt to flee. I'm sure you wouldn't enjoy it much either," he stated. He was trying to be patient, but it was getting harder to be so.

His statement must have touched a raw nerve for the girl, who couldn't have been more than fourteen or so, hurried back to the door where a couple of her fellow performers were waiting. With a quick apology she fled within.

He sighed and proceeded to the nearest inn. There he paid for a room for the night. He bought a stall for his horse for the night and food for the both of them. When he was finished eating he visited the stable that was behind the inn to check on Ceroberus. When he was positive that the stable boy had properly cared for him, the prince retired to his room for a well deserved night's sleep.

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A/N: Like I said before I hope to update more often. This however is not a promise. I just said I hope. Maybe if I get more reviews. Also, I might be posting another story or two within half a year! Keep an eye out. REVIEW!!! 


	7. Chapter 7

Freedom

Chapter Seven

Sakura had entered the town not even five minutes ago and she was lost already. She was in the residential area of the wealthier merchants and tradesmen and she had taken a wrong turn. The teen looked around for someone on the street to ask directions from. The road was deserted. Not a single person roamed. Where was everyone? She listened for any sound coming from the two rows of houses that faced each other. The only sound that penetrated the silence was the lone bark of a dog.

She continued to travel towards the center of the town hoping to encounter, well, anyone would be fine with her. This was starting to creep her out. Cautiously, she led Spinel down an avenue and around a corner. She jumped slightly as loose rocks scattered from her horse's steps. The teen, now more than ever, wished she wasn't afraid of ghosts. This was really scaring her. Suddenly a small blur burst from a house and raced past. Spinel reared and Sakura jumped into action and hurried to calm him down, as well as herself. The blur turned out to be a small child. The child stopped and turned back to the startled princess. The little boy exclaimed, "What are you waiting for? Let's go!"

Sakura asked, "Go where?"

"Where else? The playground," came the exuberant response.

The little boy had messy chocolate- brown hair and startling amber eyes. He approached her slowly to avoid spooking her horse again. He tentatively reached out and grasped her hand with his own. He looked up at her questioningly. She smiled down at him, her own startling eyes shining. He grinned broadly back at her, revealing that he was missing a front tooth. He began tugging at her hand and she obliged by following him down the next street.

"Why are we going to the playground?" Sakura asked quietly.

The little boy looked at her as if she had sprouted a second head. "You don't know?" he demanded.

"Know what? What's happening there?" Sakura asked again.

The child rolled his eyes in an exasperated manner and tugged at her arm again. "You'll see," he replied. They continued down the next street and four young girls joined them from a side street. Instantly they started exclaiming that the little boy currently attached to her hand was kawaii. They were also teasing him about holding hands with a girl. After that he let go of Sakura's hand, but he still urged her forward. The teen took a moment to observe the newcomers and was surprised to see that they were all sharing pointed looks with each other, interest burning brightly in their eyes. Eyes that were the exact shade of those that adorned the boy's face.

'_Maybe they're all siblings. That's not uncommon in poorer families.'_

The eldest of the four looked to be about twelve years old. Her dark brown curls bounced as she skipped alongside the others. The girl beside her, Sakura guessed to be about ten. She seemed intent on making the boy's unruly locks lay flat upon his head, but they refused to be tamed. The next youngest of the newcomers kept trying (and succeeding) to make the boy blush. Her honey brown hair had a subtle contrast to the boy's. She looked about a year younger than the hair tamer, making her about nine. The last little girl reminded the princess of one of her younger relatives that was about seven. Even though she looked to be about a year older than the blushing boy was, she had clambered onto his back for a piggyback ride. Her long straight hair fell to the side every time she craned her neck around his shoulders to see if her sister had succeeded in fixing his hair and she constantly had to blow her short bangs out of her face to see, often disrupting the girl's efforts by resettling the boy's hair to its previous position (which was everywhere). If Sakura looked at one for more than a couple seconds, she would catch their eyes as they looked at her again. The strange thing was, they seemed to be sizing her up.

Finally, the oldest of the five children beside her looked her straight in the eyes and nodded. "You'll do." With that, the girls turned their full attention to the boy.

"Come on brother, go faster! I want t' get there as fast as we can. I can't wait," the little girl on his back urged.

"I'm trying," he complained. "But you're so heavy I can barely walk!"

Simultaneously, three fists came out of nowhere and knocked him to the street face- first. The little one landed safely on his back, but started crying the moment he hit the ground. The teen rushed to her and picked her up to soothe her. Whispering quiet little nothings in the girl's ear, she watched as the other three shouted at their brother.

They continued on towards, in the princess's mind, an unknown destination. The five young siblings were all happy again as well as hyper as they neared the cause of excitement. They skipped and sang in circles around Spinel and her. A voice called out from a house nearby.

"Sheifa, you children don't have too much time left. You had better head home soon!"

"Thank you," she replied to the unseen messenger.

"Why do we have to return so soon," asked the youngest sister. "We just got here and the playground's not too far away. Can't we stay?"

"No, we have to go now. The link isn't that strong anymore. If we stay any longer it will break," the hair tamer supplied.

"Fine, let's go." She pouted, but turned to Sakura. Running over, she gave the princess a hug. "See you soon enough."

Laughing, the four sisters ran around a corner and out of site, leaving their younger brother behind. The teen turned to ask him what his sisters were talking about, but he was gone. She shook her head and kept walking. She heard knocks and looked around for the source. "Hello?" The knocks continued. "Is anyone there?" Sakura tripped on a loose stone and fell.

The teen shot up with a gasp and gulped air into her lungs as she scanned the room in which she resided. It was the inn that she had rented a room in the night before, the Cock's Crow. She wiped sweat from her forehead and scrubbed at her face with the sleeve of her nightshirt. _'It was just a dream,'_ she reassured herself. But, it had felt so real. What was it about the sisters that they had decided she was good enough for? Who were they?

Knocks sounded form the other side of the locked door beside the nightstand. Sakura made sure that her disguise was still in place (she slept with bandages around her chest to bind away any evidence she was a girl.) She stood and walked to the door. Opening it she asked, "Yes?"

"Excuse me, my lord, but I have drawn your bath for you." A timid chambermaid stood in the doorway. Her gaze was focused on Sakura's face. When she saw that Sakura had an odd look on her face she blushed and looked away. "Is there anything I can get you, my lord?" she inquired.

The disguised teen asked, "Could you get me a glass of water please?" The maid nodded and hurried down the hall. She returned swiftly with a pitcher of water and a glass on a tray. She entered the room and set the tray gently on the nightstand. The redhead poured water into the glass and handed it to the silent teen. Drinking gratefully, Sakura nodded her thanks. The girl blushed again and looked away.

When Sakura had sufficiently quenched her thirst she said, "Thank you for the water. I'll be right there."

"Very well my lord. If there is nothing else…" She curtsied when Sakura thanked her before turning and leaving.

The teen sat on the bed again. She sighed as she took in her surroundings. She took in the mahogany furniture arranged around the room. The floor was covered with an assortment of plush white rugs of varying sizes. Here and there she could see a well-finished wood floor in between rugs. The bed on which she sat was a soft feather down mattress covered with sheets so soft they almost resembled those in her bedroom at home. All in all, the inn was one where the rich spent the night. Of course that meant no more of these for a while. She was going to miss certain aspects of palace life, but she was ready to start a new life and if that meant no more feather down mattresses, so be it. She sighed once more before getting up to wash.

Bones crackled and popped as Syaoran stretched. Sleeping on the ground with only a bedroll wasn't all that comfortable. He had been traveling for days along the main road leading from the center of the Li kingdom to the bordering kingdom of the Kinomoto's. From there he would take a smaller road along the border to his new home.

He had been making fairly good progress in the hours of the early morning when a scream met his ears. Startled, his horse reared. Syaoran swung out of the saddle and hurried to calm Ceroberus. Once successful, he led the horse towards the disturbance carefully avoiding protruding roots and such.

More shrieks were heard. He redirected his course and broke into a clearing. There, a young girl was being assaulted by others her age.

Stepping out from the edge of the trees Syaoran asked, "What are you doing?" He dropped the reins that he had been holding and rushed to the little girl's side. As he approached the other children fled.

He knelt down beside the whimpering girl. She had small cuts on her face and a large purple and green bruise on her right collarbone. Tears ran down her face leaving muddy trails for the next ones to follow. The teen shushed her as he examined her for further injuries. Her arms and legs were badly bruised as if she had been hit multiple times with rocks or they might have resulted from kicks. Blood oozed slowly out of a gash on her back under her thin dress.

Syaoran picked her up and cradled her to his chest, making sure not to touch the wound on her back, all the while soothing her. "It's going to be alright. You'll be fine; I'm here now. I'm going to take you to a doctor. Can you tell me your name?"

Between hiccuped sobs the girl said, "Meiling."

"Hello Meiling, my name is Syaoran. Do you have family nearby?"

His question was met by a light snore. Obviously exhausted, she had fallen asleep.

The young prince carried Meiling to Ceroberus and carefully secured her to the saddle. He checked to make sure she would not fall off and then he led the stallion back to the road he had been on earlier. As an added assurance that the girl would not fall off he kept a light hand on her lower back. He stepped onto the road once more and continued towards the village that was close by. He hoped that that was where Meiling's family was.

About ten minutes later the smoke from the village came into view. Syaoran checked on the little girl again. She was still slumbering in the saddle. He gently undid the restraints he had fastened earlier and took her into his arms.

As the three misshapen figures entered the village the group of children from the clearing gaped at them before fleeing. Slightly puzzled, he continued forward until he came across a middle-aged woman hanging laundry.

He stopped and asked, "Excuse me, but could you direct me to the nearest doctor?"

The woman took a look at the bundle in his arms and shuddered. She pointed farther down the street at a well kept house. The house was about twice the size of the two on either side lengthwise. The one-story house was fronted by a flowerbed that flourished in the early morning sunshine.

He approached slowly. He tugged gently on Ceroberus's reins to keep him from venturing a nibble from the lawn. Two knocks on the dark oak door brought a wizened old man.

"Do you have a patient, stranger?" His gray hair was sparse and stuck out at odd angles. For all his apparent age, his blue eyes were bright and focused.

The teen nodded. "Her name is Meiling," he explained. "Does she have family here? She was asleep before I could ask her."

"Meiling, eh? Poor girl. Her parents both died in a house fire about two years ago. She walked out of the burning house completely unharmed. Accusations of witchcraft followed. I assume these wounds were caused by the children? Well, you can't assume they would know any better. A child without parents isn't something these children take kindly to." The man shook his head dejectedly and looked to Syaoran for an answer.

Syaoran nodded. Surprise was clear on his face as he gazed at the small girl's face as it contorted with pain. "Can you help her? I'll pay."

The doctor nodded. "Even if pay were not forthcoming her health would be looked after in this clinic." He turned his head over his shoulder and called, "Taki! Come here please!"

A teenager about Syaoran's height appeared behind the doctor.

"Please take-" the doctor paused.

"Ceroberus. Kero for short," the prince supplied.

The doctor nodded and continued. "Taki, please take Kero to the back and see that he has water."

The teen nodded and stepped around the older man. He nodded a greeting to Syaoran as he took Kero's reins. He led the horse around the corner of the house and disappeared from sight.

Syaoran followed the older man inside and stopped when they came to an empty bedside. On either side, curtains were drawn around the beds and he could hear whimpers of pain and soft snores. He carefully laid the little girl on her side so as not to disturb her back wound.

The doctor turned to him. "My name is Lee. Meiling here should be as good as new in two or three days." He smiled slightly. "I'm sorry if your travel has been delayed. If you must travel on be sure that I will take care of her."

Syaoran shook his head. "No, I will stay. If you could tell me where the inn is in this village, I will-"

He was cut off by Dr. Lee. "You will stay here. I insist. Any man willing to stall his travels to see to the wellbeing of a complete stranger is welcome in my house. I have a guest room that is unoccupied at the moment. The living part of the house is connected to the clinic by a door in the hall."

Syaoran accepted the offer after some mild protest. After all, he would be close when Meiling woke up.

Two days later Syaoran was on the road again, this time with a companion. Black hair bounced and shone with every step Kero took. Meiling was sitting in front of him, chattering excitedly as they left the village. She had convinced the prince to take her with him. After stating that she had no family or friends, claiming that no one in the village liked her (except for the old doctor), and giving him the biggest set of puppy dog eyes she could manage, he had caved. He promised Dr. Lee that he would take proper care of her and they set out shortly after that.

By nightfall Meiling was asleep is Syaoran's arms beside a smoldering fire. The child had been energetic all day and had managed to make him laugh on many occasions just by tilting her head to the side or something else that small and would often confuse her as to why he was laughing in the first place.

He had learned that she was six years old and wasn't afraid of working or getting dirty. This she had proved when, around midday, she had begged to be let down from the horse to get a drink from the stream they had been following. Once she had gotten her drink she picked up a stick and began digging in the streambed. A few minutes later (in which Syaoran had taken the opportunity to let Kero drink upstream of the disturbed water) her efforts were rewarded when she lifted a lump of wet clay.

The teen smiled gently as he saw that a replica of his horse lay lightly in his charge's hand. She had spent all of the remaining afternoon molding the clay until it was just right. She had even unbent one of the hairpins that had been in her hair to be able to get the face onto it. They had baked it in the fire as they cooked dinner that night. By the time she was getting tired it was done and Syaoran carefully cooled it down and gave it back to her. Meiling would have a future in pottery if he had anything to say about it.

He would talk to her about it the next day. Sleep beckoned and he willingly succumbed to it. The night was quiet as the world slept, preparing itself for the next day.

Meiling smiled in her sleep as her fingers tightened around the clay doll.

Water dripped from Sakura's chin as she took a long drink from her canteen. She was tired from travelling. It had been three days since leaving Osaka. Taking only short rests to eat and let her horse rest, the princess pressed on. To make sure that her Morgan never got exhausted, she would take turns riding and walking beside him. At night the two would find a spot by a stream or an alcove of trees to sleep. The early spring nights were cool and more often than not found the girl curled up to Spinel for extra warmth. She had never learned how to make a fire and now she wished that she had persuaded the ranger of the King's Forest to continue teaching her.

The emerald- eyed teen had come to a few tiny villages, but had passed through only stopping to buy food enough to last until she found the next village. According to the directions given to her in the last village, she was only about two days' ride to her new home. About midmorning the princess was walking beside her steed enjoying the scenery around them.

"BOO!"

"AAHH!" Sakura screamed as she broke out of her peaceful daydream. She drew a small dagger from her belt and turned only to sigh. Behind her, rolling on the ground laughing was none other than Sasuke Mihara. His coal black eyes shone with mirth.

"You-" He gasped trying to breathe. "You should have- have seen your face!"

Chiharu exited the woods beside her brother. She was grinning and laughing along with her sibling. Sakura looked at them both with a bewildered look plastered on her face.

"What are you two doing here?"

"I seem to recall a certain princess-" Here the older of the two was cut off as Sakura said, "Remember? I'm not a princess or even a girl." Chiharu nodded nonchalantly and continued. "Yeah, yeah. Well anyway, a certain someone gave my brother and I each a gold piece. We thought that since that is more than we make if a year, we could afford to leave one with our father to hire an apprentice to take over for him when he's too old to continue. The other one would be enough to set up a shop somewhere else and pay for supplies to get there. So, we set off, asking around for a young man who had traveled through. The kind people of this land were willing to head us in the right direction. We're coming with you." She stood defensively, awaiting an objection from the younger girl.

"I must be hearing things. I'm delusional. Did you just say that you're coming with me?" Sakura stared at the two siblings in front of her.

Two identical grins spread on the faces of brother and sister. Together they turned and retrieved two horses from within the trees beside the worn dirt road. The almost identical mares looked at Spinel cautiously before approaching the princess.

"This is my Star." As Sasuke spoke, he indicated a mare that was a dusty tan color. She had a pure white star on her right cheek. He then motioned to his sister's mare. "This is Chiharu's Moon." Moon was the same dusty color, but she had a black crescent moon on her left cheek. Sasuke elaborated for her.

"They're twins," he explained. "Our dad's mare got loose one day and came back pregnant. I know, real convenient huh? Well, she gave birth to these two and Dad gave them to us to take care of. They know us better than we know ourselves most days."

After the horses had been introduced the group searched for a suitable campsite for the night. Sakura made sure to lecture her mount on proper manners while around lady horses. He whickered at her and followed her to the side of the clearing opposite the mares.

After eating a cooked meal of potato soup (both siblings could make a fire and Chiharu could cook) the three friends cared for their horses and got ready to sleep.

"Sasuke, promise to teach me how to start a fire?" Sakura yawned as she said this.

"Yes, now go to sleep."

His response was met with two sets of soft snores. He chuckled and rolled over to follow his companions into sleep.

I am so sorry that I took so long to update. I really ment to type it, but school got in the way with homework and exams. And band and yearbook staff, and, well you get the idea. I'm going to try really really hard to update quickly. That's actually what I'm going to do for Lent is write at least one chapter a day. I'm working on another story or two that I might post, so not all of the chapters are going to be for this story, but hopefully the majority will be. Again, I'm soooo sorry I took so long to update. Please review!


	8. Chapter 8

Freedom

Freedom

By: Syaokura Dragon

**Chapter Eight**

The three set out the next morning. Sakura on Spinel, Chiharu on Moon, and Sasuke on Star. The road stretched out in front of them, never seeming to end. Trees lined both sides and they loomed above the travelers as the teens rode through the natural arch they formed.

"So, what's your favorite color Chiharu?" Sakura stretched and yawned as she passed into a shadow formed from the early morning sun.

"My what?" Chiharu looked at her with a confused face.

Sakura repeated her question. "I said, what's your favorite color? Since we're friends and are traveling together we should get to know each other. Right?"

"I'm up for that." Sasuke drew even between the two of them. He smiled brightly at Sakura. "My favorite color is red. Not blatantly red, but the red of fire and hot coals."

The two girls laughed.

"I guess that comes from being a blacksmith, doesn't it?" Sakura looked at Chiharu. "And yours?"

"Well," she paused and looked around, refusing to make eye contact with either one of her companions. She mumbled something.

"What was that Chi? What's your favorite color?" Sakura leaned forward in her saddle and stroked Spinel's neck.

"I said pink." She looked away from them again.

Sasuke howled with laughter. "Sasuke shut up and let me get closer to your sister."

Sakura brought Spinel alongside Moon. "Chiharu, look at me. There is nothing wrong with liking the color pink. Why are you embarrassed?"

The other girl wouldn't answer and kept riding. The princess turned to Sasuke and said, "Sasuke, we're going to take a break to refill our waters."

"But we haven't even drank any yet."

She glared at him and he surrendered by bringing Star to a stop. "I'll watch the horses." He sighed as he dismounted and collected the other reins.

Sakura pulled on Chiharu's hand and led her to the stream a few yards into the trees. "It's ok, we can talk here. Please tell me what's wrong. I'm concerned."

Chiharu took a waterskin from Sakura and turned towards the water. She emptied it and started to refill it before she spoke.

"I've always been the stronger of the two of us. I'm the oldest, so I have to be there when Sasuke needs me. I'm this girl that loves to work in sweaty furnaces. I don't care if I get dirty, or grimy, or burnt even. My brother looks up to me. I'm a tomboy that none of the other girls at school ever befriended. It's embarrassing to know that I'm such a tomboy, but my favorite color in the world is the girliest color out there."

Sakura had been listening while refilling one of the two other waterskins. She stopped to look at her new friend. Chiharu looked at her with sad eyes, as if she thought Sakura would laugh. The emerald-eyed teen set down the waterskin and jumped onto the other girl, engulfing her in a hug.

"Did you know that the crown prince of the Kinomoto kingdom, Touya Kinomoto himself, wears pink slippers? My brother said that he wears them only because they were a gift from our mother, but I think that he likes them a lot." She giggled at the expression on Chiharu's face and continued. "He also has a set of pink pyjamas that I gave to him the same birthday Mom gave him the slippers. It was supposed to be a set of gag gifts. I guess he really does like them because he wears them every once in a while. He claims that he's only wearing them because he's out of other pj's to wear, but his wife, Ruby, says otherwise."

She got a small laugh out of Chiharu. "See? It's not only girls that like pink. The prince likes the color, so why can't you?"

"I guess you're right." Chiharu set her chin and looked the other girl straight in the eye. "I'll be proud that I like pink form now on." She nodded her head as if the finalized her decision.

Sakura nodded back and told her, "Maybe we can even find some pink material and I'll take your measurements. Then we can send them back to the palace, using an excuse to keep people unaware that it's me of course, and my cousin Tomoyo could make you a dress to wear for a special occasion. How does that sound?"

"Do you really mean it Sakura?" Her blue eyes were the color of the sky above them and just as bright and they were dancing in excitement.

"Of course. Tomoyo makes the most fabulous clothes. She can make anything."

It was Chiharu's turn to hug Sakura. She held the last waterskin under the water until there were no more bubbles escaping before closing it and then helped her friend off the ground.

"You know, I'm glad I met you." She slung an arm around the taller girl's shoulders and they headed back to the horses and Sasuke.

"Me too," Sakura answered. "Me too."


	9. Chapter 9

Freedom

Freedom

Chapter Nine

By Syaokura Dragon

"Hey Syaoran." A little girl tugged on the prince's growing hair. He shook his head to get her to stop. When his hair settled it just barely touched his chin. He hadn't cut it since leaving the palace almost a week ago.

"Yes, Meilin?" He gazed down at her as Kero walked along the road that led to a border town. She was sitting in front of him in the saddle and had twisted around to see him.

"Where are we going?" She looked up at him with big red eyes. "We've been riding for two days now. Can we go to the festival?"

The teen looked at her, confused. "Festival?"

She nodded. "The Cherry Blossom Festival. We celebrate it every year. It signifies the start of spring."

Syaoran mock glared at her. "I know what it is little one. I just hadn't realized that it was that time again."

Meilin grinned. "Of course it is dummy." She laughed and turned back around to watch a butterfly as it made it's way out of its cocoon. The little girl murmured, "Pretty."

"When is the festival, Meilin?" Syaoran didn't know what day it was because he hadn't bothered to keep track.

"Well, back in the village it's tomorrow." She wouldn't look at him when she spoke. "I've never had a pretty outfit for it either."

Syaoran watched her as she followed the now free butterfly's path across the sky. "Then we'll just have to get you one this year."

He smiled when she jumped in surprise, making Kero snort. He patted his horse's neck to calm him. Meilin twisted herself around again.

"You mean it?" She was almost bouncing up and down in the saddle.

Syaoran laughed and said, "Yes, as long as you settle down so that Kero doesn't dump us."

She nodded and turned around, face scrunched in concentration as if that would please the horse. He laughed again and signaled for Ceroberus to trot. He chuckled when he heard a squeal of delight from his ward.

The next town, a little border town called Ogata, wasn't too far away. They would reach it before nightfall. Then they could pick out outfits for themselves for the next day. He could take one more day to get to the farm where his new life lay.

A/NI'm so sorry that it's been so long since I updated. I've had these chapters typed, but they were on my other computer (the one that doesn't have internet, you know, the old one) and life was crazy so I couldn't get them off there onto here. Here they are, I'm thinking off posting the last chapter I have written, but I might actually let my sister proofread that one. She was taking too long to read 8 & 9. Hopefully there will be more soon. Review!!


	10. Chapter 10

Freedom

Freedom

Chapter Ten

By: Syaokura Dragon

"Sakura, I'm bored."

"Stuff it Sasuke."

"Chiharu, I'm bored."

"Shut it Sasuke."

Silence.

"Saku-"

"SHUT UP SASUKE!!"

"I was going to say that we just passed the road we need."

Sakura reined Spinel to a stop and looked back the way they had come. She scratched the back of her head through her hat.

"Oops." She laughed weakly. "Sorry Sasuke."

The three of them turned their mounts around and headed to the road they had just passed.

"Sakura?"

"Yes Sasuke?"

"I'm bored."

She turned to him. "If you're so damn bored, then do something! Stop bugging me!"

They continued riding in silence for a while. It didn't last long enough.

"I know!" His black eyes shone with the excitement he got from the sudden epiphany.

His sister and their new friend looked at him, exasperated. Simultaneously they asked, "What now Sasuke?"

He grinned at them. "We're going to the festival."

The two of them stared blankly at him. His grin shrank a bit, but didn't disappear completely.

"You know, the Cherry Blossom Festival. It's tomorrow night. There's a town close by. I forget the name, but it's not too far from the farm. We," Here he indicated himself and his sibling. "might even be able to find jobs there." He was smiling wider now, obviously proud of himself.

The two girls thought for a moment before, again simultaneously, saying, "Sure, why not?"

They looked at each other and laughed.

"Is that a yes?"

They turned to look at the hopeful teen.

"Yes, Sasuke."

He whooped and spurred Star into a sudden gallop along the dirt road. The two he had left behind choked on the dust cloud.

They grinned at each other.

Sakura said, "And he thinks it was all his idea."

Chiharu shrugged at her friend. "Well, now he can't change his mind about it. We're going to a festival." She followed her brother and galloped towards the town in the distance.

Sakura choked on dust again and said to herself, "Let's meet the people of Ogata then."

A/N Thank you to the prompt review from x PyrusAngel x. (I'm talking like, 5 minutes) You made me remember that this chapter needs to go up too. It's as important as the last one. I promise to get to the farm by chapter 13 by the very latest. What happens until then, I hope you'll like, but that's me hoping. Keep reviews coming!!


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